THE attitude of the Roman Catholic clergy in Ireland to the campaign of disorder and crime carried on by the Sinn Fein party and others, has all along suggested connivance and approval on the part of these clergy. Only one voice has been lifted in condemnation of the policy of violence, namely, that of Professor Macdonald of the Maynooth College, if even that voice can be trusted as thoroughly honest and sincere. The theology of the Jesuits justly breeds distrust in the minds of intelligent Protestants as to any public utterances by responsible Roman Catholics, that go on lines contrary to the general policy of the Vatican.
Recently the Roman Catholic bishops showed their hand in a way that confirms suspicions. When the hunger-strike went on in the Dublin prison in April they issued a document in which they condoned the suicidal action of these rebels, pleaded on their behalf, and never expressed any condemnation of the brutal murders which many of them were parties to. Let it be plainly observed that these hunger-strikers were guilty, by their deliberate refusal of food, of a breach of the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” and the bishops manifestly homologated their iniquity. It is a law of the Roman Catholic communion that the “man who takes his own life under any circumstances, except obvious lunacy,” is denied all Church privileges and rites, but these representatives of Rome, when it suited themselves, ignored their own law, and supported the hunger-strikers in their suicidal action. If these ecclesiastical leaders were really opposed to the campaign of crime and disorder they would have expressed themselves very differently, and done much to repress the wickedness that prevails, but they are so much in sympathy with it—no doubt controlled and guided by the Pope—that they do not hesitate to act contrary to their own laws in carrying out their deceitful schemes. “Semper eadem” (always the same) is the boast of the Papacy. This has been its characteristic as the enemy of righteousness from time immemorial, and the enlightenment of the twentieth century has made no change upon its unholy and destructive principles and activities.
The Bulwark calls special attention to the case of Dr. Cohalan, the Bishop of Cork. This bishop has not hesitated to utter himself in a way that would encourage the police of his own religious persuasion to disobey the orders of the executive Government in the work of repressing outrage and lawlessness. He denounces the mode of present government as having no sanction in morals, and recommends the bishops in general to tell the police that they are not bound in conscience to obey the instructions of headquarters. To any impartial observer it is as plain as it possibly can be that the government of Ireland is at present far too indulgent, and that, unless a firmer hand is applied, things will come to a terrible conflagration some day not too distant. It is painfully interesting to get some details of the history of this Dr. Cohalan in relation to his bishopric. The Spectator, of 3rd April, supplies them as follows: “When the late Bishop of Cork died in the summer of 1916 Dr. Cohalan was the assistant bishop. Count Bernstorff, then German Ambassador at Washington, telegraphed to the German Foreign Office that Dr. Cohalan was a cousin of Judge Cohalan in the United States, and was strongly ‘Nationalist and pro-German.’ Count Bernstorff went on to explain that Dr. Cohalan had intervened between the Cork volunteers and the British military authorities, and had ‘publicly exposed the gross breach of faith which the English had committed against the surrendered men.’ Hence an effort had been made, through the British Envoy at the Vatican, to defeat the proposed appointment of Dr. Cohalan to the bishopric of Cork. ‘If Germany,’ telegraphed Count Bernstorff, ‘can exert any influence to bring about this result (the appointment of Dr. Cohalan as Bishop of Cork), it would defeat the English intrigue against her interests.’ We do not know what influence, if any, Germany exerted at Rome, but at all events, Dr. Cohalan became Bishop of Cork, and is now in a position to write the letter from which we quoted.” So far the Spectator. Here, then, is a prominent bishop, a strong Nationalist and pro-German, fanning the flames of sedition in Ireland.
Still another bishop has expressed himself publicly in terms that evince the greatest sympathy with the violent proceedings of the rioters. They seem to be highminded heroes in his eyes. The Bishop of Killaloe said, in the course of a sermon on 25th April, that “never were the young people of Ireland, both men and women, a greater joy and glory to her than they were to-day; never more sincerely Catholic, highminded, virtuous and heroic.” He cast off the just charges of crime as “defamation,” and maintained that “in reality the Irish people, perhaps more than any other nation, love justice and peace,” blaming, of course, the British Government for any “political violence” that existed. There are still people in Scotland and England who will not believe that the Pope is a chief promoter of the disorder that prevails. Will they be enlightened by the Bishop of Killaloe? He said that in this struggle for “freedom” the Irish had “the present Holy Father, the head of the Catholic Church, the most potent spiritual influence on earth,” on their side. What likelihood is there of order or peace being restored, when such men in high positions of religious authority and influence, backed by the Pope, are actively engaged, to all intents and purposes, in promoting the unholy work of outrage and violence?
We daresay not a few of our readers are following these events, as recorded in the public Press and in Protestant papers, but a large number are not in such close touch with the public record of affairs, and so they may be better of some information as to what is going on. A very vigorous paper in England, the Morning Post, has been lately warning the Government as to the ultimate consequences of the lukewarm policy they have been pursuing in Ireland, where a reign of terror prevails. It has been asking those in authority how they would personally like to live in such surroundings as many loyal Protestant people are compelled to reside in, their lives being in imminent danger night and day. The Morning Post very aptly delivered the warning that, if the Government did not bestir themselves to more vigorous action, they might yet find that Ireland would overwhelm them in lasting downfall and disgrace. It is our earnest prayer that the God of righteousness and peace would manifest His grace and power on behalf of poor, unhappy Ireland. Until “the man of sin” is overthrown there, through the power of the Gospel, there will be no purity or peace. May the Lord who is “more of might by far than the noise of many waters or great sea-billows” disperse the forces of error and destruction speedily to the glory of His great name!
THE name of Billy Bray will always be remembered as that of a faithful witness of Christ. It is recorded of him, on the completion of a second place of worship, he began a third and larger one, and in this enterprise his talent for collecting, as well as his zeal in giving and working, were well displayed. He had high ideas of his mission in gathering in the subscriptions of the Lord’s stewards. A friend who was with Billy on a begging expedition, suggested, as they were coming near a gentleman’s house, and Billy was evidently making for the front door, that it would be better if they went to the back door. “No,” said Billy, “I am the son of a King, and I shall go front ways.”—At one time, at a missionary meeting, he seemed quite vexed because there was something said in the report about money received for “rags and bones,” and when he rose to address the meeting, he said, “I don’t think it is right, supporting the Lord’s cause with old rags and bones. The Lord deserves the best, and ought to have the best.” “Well done, Billy,” remarked the late Mr. C. H. Spurgeon; “this is right good, and sound divinity.”